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Posts Tagged ‘Island rivalry win’

Homer-happy Wolves romp to rivalry rout

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , , on May 2, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Teagan Calkins and her weapon of choice. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

These Wolves carry big bats, and they know how to use them.

Belting nine extra-base hits Friday, including three out-of-the-park home runs, the Coupeville High School softball squad decimated host South Whidbey 15-3.

The non-conference victory, brought to a close after five torrid innings by the ten-run mercy rule, lifts CHS to 16-1 heading into its regular-season finale.

That game is set for Tuesday, May 6 in Coupeville, with former league rival Granite Falls visiting as the Wolves celebrate Senior Night for Chloe Marzocca, Madison McMillan, Jada Heaton, Mia Farris, and Taylor Brotemarkle.

Coupeville’s seniors are exiting in style. (Ava Lucero photo)

The sage veterans, and their very-ready-for-prime-time younger teammates, are part of one of just two teams in 2B with only a single loss this season.

That lone blemish was a 5-4 defeat to 3A Oak Harbor, way back on March 15, and everything after it has been good times.

Case in point, Friday’s clash with a very-solid Falcon diamond squad, which sits at 8-8 after its loss.

While South Whidbey, a 1A school, may have a bigger student body than CHS, the Wolves run deep in talent.

Freshman hurler Adeline Maynes, already an ace in her second high school diamond campaign, was firing BB’s Friday, whiffing nine while scattering just three hits.

And she got solid defense from her support crew, for the most part, with middle infielders Sydney Van Dyke and Brotemarkle gunning down runners to cap things in the final inning.

Home run hitters (left to right) Mia Farris, Madison McMillan, and Sydney Van Dyke marinate in the moment. (Ava Lucero photo)

But it’s the bats which once again captivated the always-enthusiastic Wolf fan base, as Aaron Lucero’s sluggers made contact, and drove through the ball with a vengeance time and again.

Coupeville scored in every inning, jumping on the Falcons for four runs in the top of the first to set the stage.

Walks to Brotemarkle and McMillan mingled with base knocks for Teagan Calkins, Van Dyke, and Haylee Armstrong, and the Wolves were off to the races.

But the biggest blows were yet to come.

Mia Farris was the first to strike, crushing a two-out solo shot in the second.

It was her second over-the-fence tater in as many days, as she also went yard Thursday while on Orcas Island.

Coupeville pushed two more runs across in the third to get the lead out to 7-0, then had its one brief burp of the afternoon.

South Whidbey took advantage of a brief defensive letdown to net three runs, before Maynes dug in and declared, “No more for you.”

She retired the final seven Falcon hitters, with the last out a decisive strikeout to set off a team-wide celebration.

“This ball ain’t coming back. Ever.” (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Back at the plate, the Wolves threw down four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to stretch the margin back out, with Van Dyke and McMillan joining “Mia the Magnificent” in the “I love the longball” club.

Van Dyke sent a two-run missile screaming out to left, clearing the fence for the first time in a varsity game, while McMillan’s mammoth shot — a bases-clearing grand slam — almost made it over to South Whidbey’s football stadium.

“Maddie’s was a smash,” Aaron Lucero said. “She got every ounce of that ball.

“I think it was still rising as it left the park.”

During the high school season, they may wear different uniforms, but when summer arrives, they unite and strike as the Island Vipers. (Grant Van Dyke photo)

While Coupeville and South Whidbey are not currently in the same league, or classification, as in many past years, the rivalry always remains important for bragging rights.

“There are certain teams that I get just a bit more excited for, and they’re one of them,” Aaron Lucero said with a smile.

“I know most of their team from summer ball and they have solid players. Excited for our team.”

 

Friday stats:

Capri Anter — One double
Haylee Armstrong — Two singles, one triple
Taylor Brotemarkle — One double, one walk
Teagan Calkins — Two singles, two doubles
Mia Farris — One double, one home run, one walk
Jada Heaton — One walk
Adeline Maynes — One walk
Madison McMillan — One home run, one walk
Sydney Van Dyke — Two singles, one home run

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Hardball squad learns under fire

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on March 29, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Landon Roberts, seen here with Aunt Stephanie Blas, tossed two shutout innings Saturday. (Kevin Blas photo)

Can’t score? Can’t win.

It’s a reality in the baseball world, and one that a very inexperienced Coupeville High School team has come to appreciate.

Coming off back-to-back trips to the state tourney, the Wolves find themselves with a thin roster full of largely new-to-the-game players, which is a big part of why the squad has failed to push a run across in five of six games.

The latest loss came Saturday, with Coupeville falling 13-0 to visiting South Whidbey in a non-conference rumble shortened to five innings by the mercy rule.

Having been outscored 63-3 this season, the Wolves now have some time off, with Spring Break keeping them out of games until a trip to Darrington arrives April 8.

Saturday’s island rivalry clash was decided in the middle part of the game, with South Whidbey tossing five runs on the board in the top of the second, then another eight in the third.

Landon Roberts came on to toss two scoreless innings of relief, and he and starting pitcher Carson Grove combined for seven strikeouts on the afternoon.

The Wolves had runners aboard in every inning but couldn’t come up with a game-altering hit.

After two-out singles by Camden Glover and Jayden Little across the first two frames, CHS started the third strongly.

Phin Rhodes cracked a single, followed by Roberts lacing a base knock, but that was where the rally stopped as a strikeout and a double play denied the Wolves.

All total, Coupeville had seven baserunners (six hits, one walk), while the visitors racked up 14 hits and five walks while taking advantage of three Wolf errors.

Collier Honold paced the Falcons with three hits, while his teammates rapped out four doubles.

Grady Davis recorded a pair of two-baggers, with Levi Batchelor and Malachi Pierson also whacking extra base hits for Tom Fallon’s South Whidbey squad, which got to 2-3 with the victory.

 

Saturday stats:

Camden Glover — One single
Carson Grove — One single
Jayden Little — One single
Phin Rhodes — Two singles
Landon Roberts — One single
Trent Thule — One walk

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Bright future for CMS b-ball kings

Posted in Boys Basketball, Middle School, tagged , , , , on December 16, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville Middle School coach RayLynn Ratcliff and youngest son Braxten, livin’ that hoops life. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The Wolves closed with a roar.

Back in their own gym for the first time in five games, the Coupeville Middle School boys’ basketball teams swept three bouts with visiting South Whidbey Monday to put an exclamation point on the season.

It was the second time CMS faced off with their next-door neighbors, and the Cow Town hoops stars went 6-0 overall in the meetings.

How Monday’s finale played out:

 

Level 1:

Coupeville came out on top in three of four quarters, with a 13-6 run in the second the cherry on top.

Up by three heading into the final frame, the Wolves doubled their lead, exiting stage right with a 35-29 victory.

Kamden Ratcliff had the hottest hand, peppering the net for four three-balls on his way to a season-high 15 points.

He was joined on the scoring chart by Diesel Eck, who pumped in 11, Calvin Kappes (6), and Trey Stewart (3).

Xander Beaman, Gracin Joiner, River Simpson, Darius Stewart, Trenton Thule, Jonathan Kappes, and Maverick Walling also saw floor time for Alex Evans‘ squad.

Alex Evans, plotting strategy.

 

Level 2:

The Wolves put the game out of reach early with an 11-0 romp through the first quarter and eventually settled for a 43-12 win.

Xander Flowers knocked down a season-high 10 points to pace CMS, while Joiner (9), Darius Stewart (8), Cyrus Sparacio (8), Cole Van Dyke (4), Aiden Wheat (2), and Jonah Meek (2) all chipped in with strong shooting.

Rounding out RayLynn Ratcliff’s roster were Jacob Lujan and Mario Martinez.

 

Level 3:

Les Queen almost took down South Whidbey by himself.

Coupeville’s season points leader popped for 20 more to spark a 36-15 win, with four other Wolves joining him in the scoring column.

That was Liam Stoner (8), Meek (4), Oliver Miller (2), and Henry Jackson (2), with Miller recording his first basket to the delight of the hometown crowd.

Talon Gamble, Kion Tellery, Jack Bailey, and Carson Marley all hit the floor as well under the direction of CMS coach Jaylen Nitta.

 

Final season scoring stats:

Les Queen – 114
Diesel Eck – 67
Kamden Ratcliff – 49
Gracen Joiner – 41
Darius Stewart – 39
Chayse Van Velkinburgh – 38
Jonathan Kappes – 32
Cyrus Sparacio – 32
Calvin Kappes – 29
Liam Stoner – 20
Colton Ashby – 15
River Simpson – 12
Trey Stewart – 12
Henry Jackson – 11
Jonah Meek – 11
Xander Flowers – 10
Cole Van Dyke – 7
Xander Beaman – 6
Aiden Wheat – 6
Jacob Lujan – 4
Kion Tellery – 4
Trenton Thule – 3
Jack Bailey – 2
Elijah Cole – 2
Talon Gamble – 2
Oliver Miller – 2

When the offense is really clicking.

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“It was a great team win!”

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , , on December 6, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The Wolves listen as coach Scout Smith (far left) talks strategy. (Michelle Armstrong photo)

They play just like their coach.

And that’s a good thing. A very good thing.

Handing former Wolf hoops supernova Scout Smith her first win as a high school head coach Friday, the Coupeville High School JV girls’ basketball team decimated host South Whidbey in every facet of the game.

Whether it was Haylee Armstrong terrorizing the Falcon ballhandlers, or Ava Lucero strolling up court to drain a Caitlin Clark-style three-ball from well behind the line, the Wolves were poetry in motion on the hardwood.

The result?

A 40-15 romp which evens Coupeville’s early season record at 1-1 heading into a road trip Monday to the end of the Earth (otherwise known as Forks).

For Smith, among the most cerebral of players in her heyday, the first win as a coach was sweet.

“It was a great team win where we executed our plays and systems very well,” she said. “Everybody contributed and did their role.”

Armstrong, a buzzsaw on both ends of the floor who lives to collect knee burns, fired it up Gary Payton-style on defense.

“Haylee had a great game defensively,” Smith said.

“She was a menace for South Whidbey guards to deal with, causing turnovers, steals, and chaos for their offense.”

Once they had possession of the ball, the Wolves quickly sent the orb crashing through the net, with seven different players scoring.

Lucero topped CHS with 10 — “She had a great night shooting,” Smith said — while Armstrong and Adeline Maynes netted nine apiece.

Ari Cunningham (5), Lexis Drake (3), Chelsi Stevens (2), and Sydney Van Dyke (2) rounded out the multi-pronged offensive attack, with Marin Winger, Capri Anter, Jeann Nitta, Amelia Crowder, and Willow Leedy-Bonifas also seeing floor time.

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JV boys run away with win

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 6, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Freshman Liam Blas knocked down eight points Friday in a road win. (Photo courtesy Stephanie Blas)

Thrive, and then survive.

Using an inspired run across the middle two quarters Friday, the Coupeville High School JV boys’ basketball team built itself a fairly comfortable lead on host South Whidbey, then played keep-away long enough at the end to run the clock out.

Heading home with a 34-28 win, and a 1-1 record on the season, the young Wolves can look to those 16 minutes in the middle of the game as a true highlight.

Coupeville actually trailed 7-4 at the first break, before going on a big run in the second frame to carry a 20-11 lead into the half.

The Wolves, with freshman Carson Grove poppin’ three balls from the parking lot, then stretched the advantage out to 32-17 through three.

“We clamped down with good D and spread the ball around,” said CHS coach Jon Roberts.

“Our help defense and hedging really made a big difference.”

With Coupeville’s bench playing most of the fourth quarter, the Falcons made a run to shave the lead down from 15 to six but ultimately couldn’t keep the clock from hitting all zeroes.

The Wolves spread out their offense, with eight different players putting their name into the scorebook.

Grove led the way with nine points, while Liam Blas popped for eight and Easton Green banked in six.

Malachi Somes (4), Sage Arends (2), Mahkai Myles (2), Riley Lawless (2), and Davin Houston (1) also scored, with Jayden Little, Kyle McCrimmon, Khanor Jump, and Nathan Coxsey all seeing floor time.

While Coupeville’s varsity plays Saturday, Clallam Bay doesn’t have a JV, so the Wolf young guns will be off until a Monday road trip to the wilds of Forks.

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